Aussie PM commits funding to fight domestic violence, terrorism

CANBERRA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a major funding package to combat "new and emerging threats" to community safety.

Addressing the National Press Club (NPC) in Canberra on Monday, Morrison committed 78 million Australian dollars (55.3 million U.S. dollars) to protect victims of domestic violence and 15 million Australian dollars (10.6 million U.S. dollars) for a de-radicalization program for extremists.

"Our government is fully engaged in working together to combat violence against women. It must stop," Morrison said in the speech.

"We can't ask women and children to leave dangerous homes if they have no place to go. And where it is safe, women and children survivors should be helped to remain in their homes and communities."

According to a study released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) in February 2018, one women a week and one man a month were killed by a current or former partner between 2012 and 2014.

One in three Australian women has been the victim of physical violence since the age of 15 and one in five has experienced sexual violence.

Addressing the existing de-radicalization scheme, Morrison emphasized the need to work closely with the Muslim community.

Australia's security agencies have disrupted 14 major terrorist plots since 2014, charged 90 people and stripped 12 foreign fighters of their Australian citizenship.